Wrecks & Archaeology

SS Express sank off Orkney in 1918 under circumstances which has been a topic of debate for over a century

The SS Express: A Century-Old Mystery Resolved Off Orkney

A team of British divers have identified the wreck of the SS Express, a ship that sank off Orkney in 1918, resulting in the loss of 13 lives. The vessel, which had been a vital lifeline connecting Orkney to mainland Scotland, met its unfortunate end following a collision with another ship, the HMS Grenville.

Phoenician ship Carved on the face of a sarcophagus. 2nd century AD
Phoenician ship carved on the face of a sarcophagus from the second century AD

Spanish archaeologists to rescue 2,500-year-old Phoenician shipwreck

The submerged relic, a testament to the advanced seafaring capabilities of the ancient Phoenicians, lies off the coast of Mazarrón in the Mediterranean Sea.

Unveiling Phoenician maritime prowess

Discovered more than three decades ago, this Phoenician ship is one of the best-preserved examples of ancient seafaring vessels. The remarkable condition of the shipwreck promises invaluable insights into Phoenician shipbuilding, navigation and trade practices that were a cornerstone of their civilization.

Oldenburg Wreck: German Raider & Cargo Ship Through Two World Wars

The Oldenberg wreck in Sognefjorden, Norway
The Oldenberg wreck in Sognefjorden, Norway

The Oldenburg, which was originally named Pungo, was built in 1914 to carry bananas between Cameron and Germany. It was drawn into World War I in 1915, put into German service and rebuilt as a raider ship. René B. Andersen shares the story of the ship and takes us on a dive to the wreck.

Ancient Roman shipwreck reveals a trove of preserved glassware

Underwater archaeologists recently discovered the remains of an ancient Roman cargo ship off Rome's coast. This significant find goes beyond merely finding another shipwreck; it offers an intriguing glimpse into the complexities of ancient Roman seafaring, trade practices and the far-reaching influence of Rome's maritime network.

The Capo Corso 2 wreck was discovered in 2012 at a depth of around 350 metres between Sicily's Capo Corso and the island of Capraia which lies off Tuscany, Italy.

USS Ommaney Bay (CVE-79) underway off Hawaii with lifts lowered, July 1944
USS Ommaney Bay (CVE-79) underway off Hawaii with lifts lowered, July 1944

WWII carrier USS Ommaney Bay located in the Philippines

In a significant move, the United States Navy has confirmed the identity of a sunken World War II aircraft carrier in the Sulu Sea as the USS Ommaney Bay.

The carrier, which met its demise in 1945, was sunk by a devastating kamikaze attack during the ferocious battles of the Pacific Theater. Through meticulous examination and research, the navy has now shed light on the final resting place of this legendary warship.

Possible illustration of the Satellite
Possible illustration of the Satellite

Discovery of 1879 Lake Superior shipwreck

The Satellite sank on 21 June 1879, according to the historical society, either as a consequence of a technical issue or because the boat collided with a floating log. The ship capsized, but no one perished.

In the summer of 2022, the society worked with Josh Gates of the Discovery Channel's Expedition Unknown to produce a show about two French minesweepers that vanished on their maiden voyage in 1918.

Groundbreaking project maps shipwrecks of The Bahamas

Hidden beneath the serene waters of The Bahamas lay the remnants of approximately 5,000 shipwrecks, entombed for centuries. These relics are finally seeing the light of day, thanks to an innovative project called The Bahamas Lost Ships Project, kickstarted in 2023 by Allen Exploration and In Search of Shipwrecks (ISOS).

176 shipwrecks traced

The project has shed light on the maritime heritage of The Bahamas, particularly along the eastern flank of the Straits of Florida, a maritime corridor frequented since the 15th century.

One of the three shipwrecks found in Tunisia's Skerki Bank during a 2022 expedition
One of the three shipwrecks found in Tunisia's Skerki Bank during a 2022 expedition

UNESCO-led mission discovers three ancient shipwrecks off Tunisian coast

According to reports, these shipwrecks are believed to date back to Roman times. Although the Mediterranean Sea is known for its rich history of maritime trade and naval warfare, the discovery of intact ancient shipwrecks remains a rare occurrence.

The shipwrecks were discovered during an operation intended to protect underwater heritage. UNESCO and the eight participating Member States launched this mission, recognizing the critical value of these sites in understanding our collective past.

British T class submarine HMS Triumph

British WWII submarine located in the Aegean Sea

Kostas Thoctarides told state news agency ANA his team had located the wreck of HMS Triumph at a depth of 670 feet at an undisclosed location in the Aegean Sea.

The HMS Triumph was a British T-Class submarine involved in military operations in the Aegean Sea and elsewhere in the European theatre of the Second World War. It carried out twenty missions, including attacks against Axis ships, landing British commandos and rescuing Allied soldiers, until it disappeared during a mission in 1942. Eighty-four submariners were killed when the HMS Triumph sank.

The Royal Navy battleship HMS Prince of Wales coming in to moor at Singapore in 1941
The Royal Navy battleship HMS Prince of Wales coming in to moor at Singapore in 1941

Malaysia detains Chinese ship suspected of looting two British WWII wrecks

Malaysia's maritime authorities have detained a Chinese-flagged cargo ship amid reports this month that scavengers targeted two British World War Two wrecks off the coast of Malaysia—the HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse—which were sunk by Japanese torpedoes in 1941.

An inspection of the cargo ship led to the discovery of old steel and cannon shells believed to have been scavenged from the HMS Prince of Wales. The shells could be linked to a separate seizure by police at a Johor jetty last week of multiple unexploded World War II-era artillery.